Israel working to surrender Ghajar to UNIFIL

Israel picked up negotiations over the future of the northern town of Ghajar on Tuesday with the new UNIFIL commander, Spanish Maj.-Gen Alberto Asarta Cuevas, following three rounds of talks over the matter with his predecessor, Italian Lt.-Gen Claudio Graziano, who left his post last month. According to a statement put out by the ministry, the negotiations centered on “civilian issues” that will need to be dealt with if Israel turns over the northern half of the village to UNIFIL. (more…)

Head of Fatah in Lebanon forced to resign

An unidentified source from the Palestinian Fatah Movement reported that Fatah official Sultan Abu al-Aynayn stepped down from his post as head of the Fatah Supervising Commission in Lebanon following the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

According to the source, Abbas received intelligence reports that Abu al-Aynayn was “implementing an ulterior agenda” in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, which prompted Abbas’ request. (more…)

Noor Fares: Upcoming Lebanese jewelry designer

Jewelry by Lebanese designer Noor Fares, currently available at stores in Los Angeles, London and Beirut, will be expanding to cover Dubai in 2010.

Fares, whose clients include the likes of Zaha Hadid, Francesco Clemente and Camilla Al Fayed, plans to eventually open her own boutiques in major cities around the world.

“I am looking at the Middle East and European markets. I will collaborate with fashion designers too,” said Fares, daughter of former deputy prime minister of Lebanon Issam Fares. Christie’s will be auctioning one of Fares’s pieces in Dubai.

“It is a sculptural piece, which is a combination of jewelery and art. It is made of wood, gold and colorless diamonds. I use a lot of wood in my works because in a lot of cultures around the world wood denotes good luck.” Her pieces range from $70 to $40,000. (Emirates Business)

Jumblatt “will not utter a word” after March 16

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt said he will make a statement “that will close up a big wound” on March 16 on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of his father’s assassination “and after that, I will not utter a word.”

“On March 16, the 33rd anniversary of Kamal Jumblat’s assassination, I will say words that will seal a big wound. These will be the final words. I will not utter a word afterwards,” Jumblatt said in an interview published Tuesday by the daily Al-Akhbar. Jumblat refused to reveal the content of his March 16 speech.

“True, that my sect as well as the Christians are on the threshold of extinction, but they remain the same in Mount Lebanon and in Jabal al- Druze, although I prefer to call it Jabal al-Arab,” Jumblat added.

He stressed that “there should be respect for the minority and for its struggles.”

“Do they want Walid Jumblat to go to Syria alone or with his sect?” he asked. “If they wanted him to go with his community, then they must respect its dignity.”

“I hear them remind me of the time I said that I lied to the Syrians 25 years. This was due to an emotional outburst. I was wrong.

“Everybody makes mistakes. President Assad, in turn, said Syria has made mistakes in Lebanon and has admitted them. He (Assad) certainly made a mistake by extending Emile Lahoud’s term.

Jumblat, however, believed that the biggest mistake was U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559. “It was the biggest trap for Lebanon and Syria. I was against the Bristol group (March 14 alliance) when they supported this resolution, and I was against them when they dispatched a delegation to Los Angeles at the time. (Naharnet)

Louis Vuitton to open first boutique in Lebanon

Common values have led the House of Louis Vuitton and the country of Lebanon to forge stronger ties. Even though the turmoil of history hindered the famous House from settling in the country earlier, the brand and its Lebanese customers have always been linked by a genuine affection.

In a few months’ time, the celebrated purveyor of fine leather goods will open its first store in Beirut, a vibrant city whose economic, artistic and cultural activities have established the city as one of the most important in the world. Louis Vuitton will thus reaffirm its commitment to its customer base not only in Lebanon, but throughout the region, by opening its doors in the most luxurious shopping district in the country.

To celebrate the opening of its first Beirut store, Louis Vuitton is placing a giant trunk, decorated with the famous monogrammed canvas, in front of the historic building located at 103 Allenby Street. The structure, whose façade dates back to the 1950s, was preserved and restored under the aegis of the city’s redevelopment programme undertaken by SOLIDERE, the Lebanese Society for Development and Reconstruction. (iloubnan.info)

U.S. presses Israel over IDF murder of American in 2003

Under pressure from the United States, Israel is to grant visas to four activists from the International Solidarity Movement so they can testify in suit brought against the government by the family of Rachel Corrie, an activist killed by an IDF bulldozer in the Gaza Strip in March 2003.

Corrie, a U.S. citizen, was 24 when she was struck and killed by a bulldozer as she and others tried to stop Israel razing homes in Rafah by using their bodies as human shields.

The Interior Ministry informed the family’s attorney, Hussein Abu Hussein, that the British and American witnesses, including a peace activist expelled from Israel in the past, would be allowed entry into to testify in the civil suit agisnt the Defense Ministry.

The case is due to open the Haifa District Court in two weeks. (Haaretz)

Lebanese and Russian presidents to meet

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman will head to Russia on Wednesday. Suleiman will reportedly meet with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, on Thursday, following which they will hold a joint press conference.

Also, according to the correspondent, ministers Elias al-Murr, Ali Shami, Mohammad Safadi, Abraham Dedeyan, Adnan al-Kassar will accompany the president on his official trip.

He also said that Suleiman will meet with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and request assistance in preventing any possible Israeli military operations in the region. (Now Lebanon)

ET409: Ethiopian Airlines defends pilot, blames sabotage

A dispute raged between Ethiopian Airlines and Beirut over the reasons behind last month’s plane crash that killed all 90 people on board. The Boeing 737-800 bound for Addis Ababa crashed minutes after takeoff from Beirut airport in stormy weather on January 25.

“Reports that a pilot error was the cause of the disaster are just a guess,” said Ethiopian Airlines’ executive director.

“Investigations may take a while before the cause of the crash is determined,” he added.

He backed a statement made by Ethiopian Airlines earlier this month in which it did not rule out that “sabotage” may have caused the crash.

Middle East Airlines Chairman of the Board of Directors Mohammed Hout, meanwhile, said a “pilot error” was behind the crash.

“According to reliable information made available (about the disaster), an error by the pilot of the ill-fated Ethiopian plane was the reason that led to the fall and crash,” Hout said in remarks published Tuesday.

State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza is expected to receive a detailed account by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, Lebanese commando divers pursued efforts at retrieving the bodies of the passengers who were aboard the ill-fated Ethiopian airplane. The list of the 90 travelers who are presumed to be dead has shrunk to only three believed to be still missing. (Naharnet)

Lebanese Army strategy and roadmap sees vast improvements

Talks between Defense Minister Elias Murr and U.S. officials on supporting the Lebanese army have reached agreement on several points, including military aid that will arrive early next month as well as army needs for the coming three, five and 10 years.

U.S. sources said the Lebanese army has made a “qualitative leap” in the presentation of its strategy.

The U.S. government, however, expressed the need for a strategic vision in the form of a military plan for the development of the Lebanese Army in order to help guide U.S. Assistance Programs to meet Lebanese needs.
Murr said he was satisfied with the meetings in Washington “since the Lebanese army now has a road map for its needs.”

“The Lebanese army also has a clear strategy – ‘what army for what mission’ – for the first time since independence (from France),” Murr added.

Murdoch deal includes Haifa Wehbe, Elissa, Amr Diab

News Corp. (NWS) has reached an agreement to buy a 9.1% stake in Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Rotana Media Group for $70 million. News Corp. has an option to raise its holding to 18.2% in the 18 months following completion of the current deal, the Saudi-based entertainment firm said in an emailed statement Tuesday.

News Corp. owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of this newswire and The Wall Street Journal.

News Corp. is increasingly seeking out new markets as advertising revenue in the U.S. and Europe come under further pressure from the economic downturn. A stake in Rotana will help expand News Corp.’s presence to the more than 300 million people in the Arab world.

Rotana, which hosts Fox channels in Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, via its television network, owns rights to more than 2,000 Arabic movies and the world’s largest Arabic language music library, according to Zawya.com data. According to Ipsos MediaCT, Rotana ranks amongst the top-five channels for advertising revenue in the kingdom, the Gulf’s most populous Arab nation.

According to its Web site, the company has some of the Arab world’s most popular artists on its books, including Egyptian pop star Amr Diab and Lebanese divas Elissa and Haifa Wehbe.

Prince Alwaleed through Kingdom Holding is one of largest single investors in Citigroup and as of last year said it holds a 5.7% stake in News Corp. It has long established business links with the Murdoch family.

Prince Alwaleed’s investments on Wall Street and around the world have plummeted since the onset of the economic crisis. Kingdom has a 5% stake in Citi, as well as shares in Apple Inc., Time Warner Inc., and eBay Inc. (WSJ)